Mandarin Ducks

[cici_p]

Does anybody have friendly mandarin ducks? I am considering getting some, just curious what their personalities are?

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Mine were skittish when I first got them. I housed them over the fall/winter with my call ducks, and now they are pretty friendly. I still can touch them, but they will come about 1-2 feet away from me, compared to running away when I first got them.

I think housing them with my domestic call ducks, sort of taught them how to be friendly, and not to be scared of people.

 

[cici_p]

A local here in town told me she could get me started mandarin pairs for $60 per/pair. I have thought of nothing else since. . .
Somebody please tell me not to do it. . .
Edited to say: That photo giffy posted is really not helping!!!!!!!

 

[goosedragon]

Do NOT do it! At least be sure to see the birds before you buy. $60/pair is a very low price and there might be a good reason for that from the seller's point of view. The photo 'giffy' posted was of an exceptionally fine bird at the top of condition. $200 dollars for that bird alone would not be out of line but I'll bet giffy woulldn't take twice that for his bird. If your $60/pair birds look like that get me a pair too, but there are a lot of poor mandarins out there looking for buyers that have been 'hooked' by pictures like that.

 

[Lophura]

Quote:
Not sure where you've seen this price (Strombergs??), but it's just a little too high. Mandarins are an easy species to breed, very common in captivity, and a great beginner wild species - so this reflects their price - their beauty doesn't.

Mark & Melody West currently have 08 birds for $50 and 07 for $60 - http://www.gbwf.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2159 - http://www.goldenwestbirdfarm.com/

An average price range for the species is $40 to $70 depending on age. The white mutation typically costs more. If someone is charging $200, they are ripping you off.

Dan

 

[lorieMN]

Quote:
Not sure where you've seen this price (Strombergs??), but it's just a little too high. Mandarins are an easy species to breed, very common in captivity, and a great beginner wild species - so this reflects their price - their beauty doesn't.

Mark & Melody West currently have 08 birds for $50 and 07 for $60 - http://www.gbwf.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2159 - http://www.goldenwestbirdfarm.com/

An average price range for the species is $40 to $70 depending on age. The white mutation typically costs more. If someone is charging $200, they are ripping you off.

Dan

I agree with Dan..I know a breeder here in MN sells his fall babies for $36 for a pair of normals,he doesnt have whites,but whites can be gotten for around $125-150 a pair..I got a white hen last fall for $50,and a normal drake for $30..

 

[goosedragon]

Just one question and then I am going to leave this post to the low price "experts". Are your cheap birds of anywhere near the quality of the posted picture I referenced?

"Not sure where you've seen this price (Strombergs??), but it's just a little too high. Mandarins are an easy species to breed, very common in captivity, and a great beginner wild species - so this reflects their price - their beauty doesn't."
I can't resist replying to the above quote I will remain calm (I hope) 1. Try some publication a little more professional like The Poultry Press I'm not knocking Stromberg, he has done wonders for the fancy. 2. I don't know many people who consider Mandarins to be a wild species, exotic maybe but not wild. 3. If all you say about the species is true, how do you explain the price difference between Mandrins and the common domestic species?

 

[Lophura]

Quote:
Uh, yeah. They might even be related!!

Dan

 

[goosedragon]

Lets see the pictures please, Dan and would you reply to my edit also? Please?

 

[DuckyBoys]

Well, I can say that one of my birds is pretty tattered after the long winter outside, but the other two are looking pretty good. They are not show birds, they are pets. And I paid $60 pair for mine.

You can see them here

They DO look like that picture right after molt.